Los Bronces Copper Mine

The expansion of the Los Bronces copper mine is the largest mining job in Chile today, and one of the largest ever for Bechtel’s Mining & Metals business.

Located in the Andes northeast of Santiago, the project includes expansion of a copper concentrator, construction of a new concentrator, crushing and conveying equipment, grinding and flotation circuits, and other equipment. The project will more than double throughput at the facility.

The project’s high altitude—some 3,200 meters above sea level—has presented significant challenges. Due to a shortage of oxygen, people’s reactions are slower, so they can’t move at the same pace as under normal conditions. Everyone coming to the job site must pass medical exams, and some employees have had to go on special diets to lose weight or to reduce their blood pressure so they can handle the altitude.

Bechtel is performing EPC and construction management for customer Anglo American SUR S.A. Since work began in December 2007, Bechtel’s project scope has increased by about 40 percent and now includes managing engineering and construction of two 52-kilometer slurry and water pipelines connecting the grinding and flotation plants.